Meghan Durham | NCAA.com | October 22, 2015

The NCAA and CBS Sports Network have agreed to continue their partnership covering the Division II men’s and women’s basketball semifinals, in addition to the women’s basketball final, through 2024.

“Division II college athletes have the greatest likelihood of the three divisions to compete in a national championship, and we are excited that these student athletes will have the opportunity to share that experience with a national audience,” said Terri Steeb Gronau, NCAA vice president of Division II. “We are thrilled to continue our longstanding partnership with CBS Sports Network to provide a nationally-televised, memorable championship experience to Division II athletes.”

The division has partnered with CBS Sports Network since 2006, providing a platform to highlight the experiences of Division II college athletes and promoting the intercollegiate athletics philosophy for member schools. There are more than 118,000 student-athletes competing at 307 NCAA Division II colleges and universities nationwide.

“The agreement to air DII basketball national championships is a huge win for DII student-athletes across the country who dream of playing on a national stage,” said Shanteona Keys, a member of the Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and former women’s basketball player at Georgia College. “For student-athletes, it will enhance the championship experience, bring exposure to our division as well as broadcast championships to family and friends who cannot travel to our events.”

The 2016 women’s semifinal games will take place March 23 at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and the final will be held April 4 in Indianapolis in conjunction with the women’s basketball championships for all three divisions. The 2016 men’s semifinal games are scheduled for March 24 in Frisco, Texas. CBS Sports continues to air the DII Men’s Basketball Championship, which airs March 26 at 3 p.m. ET.